Why do people drive their kids to school??

[brightonbaker]

Every day My oldest DD 11 walks to school, she is at secondary school and it is about 8minutes walk away. There is one road to cross. I walk my younger DD 8 to school, her school is the same distance. I then get home and go to work, I'm lucky I can start at 9:30.
I think it is good for them to walk to school as it is a good start to the day, exercise, fresh air etc.
I have two neighbours with older DDs about 13 and 14 who I am quite sure have never walked to school, ever. So they leave about the same time as us and get back about the same time as its only 8 minutes walk and by the time they have found somewhere to park** illegally it takes the same amount of time. So why? Why are they doing this? one of the parents does not work so no need to rush and I'm not sure what the other one does.
Really gets on my nerves so thought I'd see if there are some legitimate reasons why people drive to a very local school ?

I think everyone is coming up with answers to a different question than the one the OP is asking. I read it as "Why, if there is a short and easy walk to school, would you insist on driving your kids there?" She's not talking about cases where the distance is 10 miles, or where there's no pavement, or where it's unsafe, or where there's a disability or an issue that means that the children or adult can't walk. I get fed up on this site of people making a whole range of exceptional cases just to be contrary. It's stupid.
^ This

I walked every day with my DD - 15 mins there; 30 mins round trip for me. 3-4 days a week she needed her cello taking in and bringing back (full size). I carried the cello; she carried her book bag and lunch. We chatted. We felt the weather on our faces and saw the seasons come and go. I really miss it.

Your title is very misleading. Our catchment area school is 2 miles away, yet they have just scrapped the school bus so I now have to drive my DS to breakfast club so I can start work at 8, whereas my husband used to put him on the bus in time for school

The OP's asked a question, and people have answered.

She even says she's 'lucky' - in the OP - that she doesn't have to start work until 9:30am. That's not the case for many people who drive their kids to school.

Obviously people who routinely drive to school when there are no extenuating circumstances, and it's close, etc are being pretty lazy.

But the question in the title of the OP is, of course, going to get people piling on to just respond.

Well, I work and have 4 DC at two different schools. If i didn't drive, none of us would arrive on time!!!

Dear God Bella, read the thread and question.

This is just getting annoying now.

I walk mine to school every day unless its absolutely pouring with rain. It's about a mile and I figure it's good for all of us. If I do drive, I still park about 5 mins away as getting near to school in a car is hellish. I'm lucky that I'm freelance so I can set my own hours but even when I wasn't, I still tried to do it whenever possible.
My husband is really lazy and I have to hassle him to do it but even he does it. Makes no sense not to 🙂

If you have no footpaths and your child attends local or allocated school local authority should provide transport for child. The no footpath for accessing school is massive.

I think yabu. You are judging people when you don't know their circumstances. I have Ulcerative Colitis. The mornings are tricky especially with three schools. No one would ever know to look at me. It's a hidden disability and there are countless other disabilities which are hidden.

Having said that I am sure there are people who live 5 minutes from the school and drive but then there are also people who aren't disabled who park in disabled bays.

dan- that was completely unnecessary and goading. I did read the OP's post and the thread and answer in context. In theory I live within walking distance of both schools, which is what OP was talking about.

Clearly you are very easily annoyed.

We have a very small school in our village, that starts at 8.45am. At 8.44am the Range Rovers and Mitsubishi L200s start roaring through the lanes as they are all local. There's then a fight to block the entrance to the old folks bungalows so their carers can't get in, park on double yellows and the bus stop and block the lane. Chaos ensues if the bus does arrive as sadly few of the yummy mummies can put their chelsea tractors into reverse and go in a straight line.......... repeat at 3.14pm and they all drive up to the village playing field so the children can get some exercise . It's quite entertaining to be fair.

Read a lot of responses and whilst accepting some children may have parents physically unable to walk them to school, I basically had a good laugh at all the supposed reasons for using a car to take children to school. Laziness is the main reason for me. I live in a very small 125 houses area. Only one way in and out with 4 narrow roads. Kids for primary school need school bus as no footpath on school road secondary school busy road half a mile away hence school bus. These buses used to stop at the end of very quiet road quarter of mile until someone new moved to area and she caused a fuss with education dept as her dear little 13 year old got wet when walking to bus stop. Busses were diverted to come into narrow roads and have to reverse round narrow corner to get back out. Nightmare, but we can't have these cherub getting inconvenienced with rain. Suppose the same mum wouldn't want the sun shining on her DS either. Education agreed to change as not costing anything as distance so short and in their words "always want to be helpful when they can". These children/young folk are so mollecodled just like their parents were too (mostly parents here mid late 30s). And no, most do not work!

How do we expect our kids to give a shit about this stuff if we don't set an example?
There is an obesity epidemic, the roads around schools are unsafe and the cars are polluting the air they breathe in cities.
My kids are able to go for long walks in the woods without moaning, it doesn't even cross their minds to moan about walking and in my opinion that is important.
I absolutely get the schools that are far away and the people with health conditions, they don't apply to my neighbours though. As I said before she walks the dog before she gets in the car to take her DD to school so she can walk and it is no more than 10 minutes walk, I reckon 8

Because they can't walk it's too far.
The bus passes would cost me £580 and I pass the school en route to work.
I do however make them get a different bus home, which is free on oyster, and walk the rest. To do this in a morning is disruptive and time wasting

I drive ds to his bus stop as I drive past it on my way to work. He could walk but we leave at 7.20 as it is. If he walked he'd need to leave 10 mins earlier

Because it’s 12miles away from where we live.

Because I'm disabled and a wheelchair user. It takes me approx 3 mins to drive my daughter to school. Most people on my road walk I think it takes them 1/2 hour.
Hope that's a good enough reason!

I think the OP isn't talking about people who have long journey, can't afford buses, have too much stuff to carry or difficulty walking, but about people for whom walking would probably be quicker and less hassle than driving.

My experience is of living in a London suburb where schools are nearby but a large percentage of kids are driven, even to secondaries. I really think there's been a cultural change and lots of people just don't even think of walking as an option any more and in some ways it's been designed out of the way people live. Kids or parents often don't own shoes/coat/waterproof bags suitable for walking further than the car. I've known mums who change into special exercise clothes and trainers on the rare occasions they walk to school, so I guess they don't see it as a normal, every day thing (whereas when I was a child my dad had a special driving jacket and gloves!). Even apparently little things like straightening hair which might then get messed up by wind or rain can make walking seem a hassle. I also think some people feel more productive if they drive to pick up from school, get a parking spot early and then do emails or FB while they wait in the car. And of course, the less walking people do, the less normal it becomes.

My eldest dd 14 walks to school and back home again. Her school is halfway between my house and her dad's which is quite handy.

We live close to school, about 7 mins walk. But I drive dD because the school is on my way to work (and my way home) and I don't have those extra few minutes to walk home and get the car and drive back past the school again. When she's old enough she can walk herself home (yr 5), but I will still be driving past the school!

Our primary has a small catchment area. Max 10min walk from furthest away street. Loads of parents drive their children to work even those who are in P7 !

Parents who live in the next street will drive their children to school, and then stand chatting in the playground for a while after the bell so it's not like they are in a hurry to drop of and get to work.
They are just lazy buggers.

We drop our dd off as its a mile up a very steep hill and we're in the car for work already so it's a minor detour. She walks home though.

Not RTFT, but ds2 gets driven. 2 miles away, very young (socially) year 5. I wish we'd sent him somewhere closer.

One day per week, ds1 (secondary aged) and walks to school, walks to ds2's school and then brings ds2 home by bus. I'm at home when they arrive, but working.

A lot depends on your area, maybe?

We live in a small town, so happy enough for ds1 to walk. DS2 goes to school further away, 10-15 minutes by car, he's socially less mature than ds 1 at the same age (though I took both to the same school).

Maybe just ask them why?

You're not being unreasonable OP - but I must say I find the undertone of you post and you replies a little judgmental (without you knowing the full facts).

Yes pollution is rife - especially in London but do you really think your neighbour walking is going to change that? No. And the whole 'if we don't set an example' - in theory it's a lovely thing to say and to believe - but practically kids just really want an easy ride these days, most don't care about the environment and pollution (I say this with knowledge as I work in renewable energy)

We live very close to school. 15/20 minute walk.

But DH has always driven DS to school. Because we have abusive family members, and we wanted to keep him safe. But to others we looked very over protective or lazy!

He's 15 now and just started going on his own.

Because DD’s school is 30 mind drive away and it would take her all day to walk?